The Hangman's Secret

Victorian Mystery at its best!

Superb continuation of the trials and challenges of denizens of the former detective agency who now work for Sir Gerald Mariner, photographing crime scenes for his London newspaper the Daily World.
Called to a pub to photograph a decapitated body that turns out to be a leading hangman, Harry Warbrick, events open up that will lead the trio through a maze of cover ups, hampered by the Official Secrets Act, along with a threatening visit to Newgate Prison.
Something had happened during the execution of Amelia Carlisle, the “Baby-Butcher,” who'd killed hundreds of infants placed in her care. Something that seems to link the murder of Warbrick to Amelia's death. Warbrick had divulged cryptically, "‘Two show more minutes and fifty seconds.’ [Sarah was] becoming more certain that something of consequence happened during Amelia Carlisle’s last two minutes and fifty seconds alive."
I teetered on the abyss several times with Sarah, I was devastated for Mick O’Reilly, and Lord Hugh Stanton continues to be, well, Hugh!
Inspector Reid is present as malevolent as ever, threatening Sarah and her search for her father. Constable Barrett finds himself caught between his loyalty to his chosen career and loyalty to Sarah. Sarah continues to be self contained, even as she opens up fractionally to Barrett. Even so, as a habitual secret keeper this is tough going for her and comes near to jeopardizing her's and Barrett's growing relationship.
A power house of feelings, of dank and dark places, and all of us, reader and characters, always on the edge of fearful surprises.
Once again a rapid and diverting read!

A NetGalley ARC show less

Sarah Bain is a thirty-three-year-old crime scene photographer and amateur sleuth who works for the Daily World newspaper along with her friends and colleagues, Hugh Staunton and fourteen-year-old Mick O'Reilly. The publication's owner, Sir Gerald Mariner has no compunction about printing sensational stories filled with half-truths and innuendos in order to boost circulation. When pub owner and hangman Harry Warbrick is murdered, Sarah and her partners set out to find out who did the deed. Their inquiries lead them to, among other places, Newgate prison, the Old Bailey, and an asylum for people with mental disorders.

Laura Joh Rowland's "The Hangman's Secret," narrated by the outspoken and high-strung Miss Bain, is a lurid and show more over-the-top historical mystery that contains everything but the kitchen sink--grisly slayings, long-hidden secrets, corruption in high places, lustful encounters, and violent altercations. Sarah, Hugh, and Mick are roughed up during their forays, which is not surprising, since they recklessly rush into dangerous situations time and again. Sarah and Hugh use ruses to worm their way into the confidence of witnesses who may have useful information to impart.

Rowland's colorful characters, melodramatic scenarios, and theatrical dialogue impart a Gothic flavor to this novel. Furthermore, the author makes the most of her setting, with evocative passages and vivid descriptive writing that convey the sights and smells of the less salubrious areas of London in 1890: "Coal smoke rising from chimneys mixes with the fog, the chemical fumes from the factories, and the stench from nearby slaughterhouses." Sarah is in a relationship with a police constable Thomas Barrett who reciprocates her feelings. There is tension between this pair, since police officers (some of whom, as depicted by Rowland, are unethical and/or inept) disapprove of the press's meddling in criminal matters. Sarah, Hugh, and Mick attempt to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of their success and personal happiness. Readers who are willing to overlook this book's implausible elements, histrionics, anachronisms (the dialogue bears little resemblance to the language of the Victorian era) and overly cluttered plot, may find "The Hangman's Secret" to be a lively, action-packed, and atmospheric whodunit. show less

Set in London in 1890, The Hangman's Secret by Laura Joh Rowland is a spellbinding historical mystery. Although this latest release is the third installment in the Victorian Mystery series it can be read as a standalone.

Photographer Sarah Bain lives and works with her friends, Lord Hugh Staunton and fourteen year old street urchin Mick O'Reilly. They now work for London's Daily World, which has been recently purchased by Sir Gerald Mariner. Working as a crime scene photographer for the paper, Sarah, Hugh and Mick head to the pub where Harry Warbrick recently committed suicide by hanging himself. The scene is grisly and Sarah immediately picks up on things that point toward murder rather than suicide. Returning to the newspaper to show more process her photos and report to Sir Mariner, Sarah is dismayed when her boss instructs her and reporter Malcolm Cross to solve Warbrick's murder before the police. Can Sarah investigate Warbrick's murder without ruining her relationship with Police Constable Thomas Barrett? Will Sarah, Hugh and Mick solve the case before the police?

Certain findings at the scene of Warbrick's death point Sarah in the direction of his most notorious hanging. Thanks to Sir Mariner's connections, Sarah and Hugh head to Newgate Prison where they question the staff who had contact with murderess Amelia Carlisle. Although they do not uncover any new evidence, Sarah remains certain Warbrick's murder is connected to Amelia's hanging. But will she find the information she needs to solve the case?

In addition to the their investigation, Sarah, Hugh and Mick are also juggling a few personal issues. Young Mick's crush on actress Catherine Price adds an unexpected complication to their efforts to identify Warbrick's killer. Hugh's secret relationship could lead to trouble with Sir Mariner. Sarah continues to be conflicted about her relationship with Barrett. He is ready to take their romance to the next level, but Sarah's self-doubts and abandonment issues make her reluctant to make a commitment. She is also still searching for her father and when she antagonizes her nemesis Inspector Reid, he utilizes the police force to carry out his revenge.

The Hangman's Secret is a baffling mystery that is full of unexpected twists and turns. The characters are well-rounded and easy to root for. The investigation into Warbrick's death proves to be very dangerous for Sarah and Hugh as they find themselves in very precarious situations. Laura Joh Rowland brings the novel to a thrilling and dangerous conclusion that will satisfy readers. Another clever addition to the Victorian Mystery series that I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend to fans of the genre. show less

This novel was sent to me by the publisher Crooked Lane Books. Thank you.

The year is 1890 and Sarah Bain, crime photographer for the Daily World, has been summoned to the scene of a grizzy death. With her associates Lord Hugh Staunton and street-wise Mick O’Reilly, she goes to the Ropemaker’s Daughter, a pub in Whitechapel owned by the official hangman for the British government. There they find the hangman Harry Warbrick dead. The initial response is that Warbrick committed suicide, but an examination of the scene quickly proves otherwise. Warbrick’s head, still in the noose, was actually severed from his body which had dropped to the pub floor. No reputable hangman, and Warbrick was the best, would botch an execution this show more badly.

Someone murdered the hangman and tried to cover it up. The suspect list is soon narrowed to the seven witnesses to Warbrick’s last execution of the notorious baby murderer Amelia Carlisle. Sometime happened in the hanging shed but the witnesses are bound by the Official Secret’s Act and cannot reveal anything. Sir Gerald Mariner, owner of the Daily World, challenges the police to a contest; his paper will uncover the killer before the police do and he gives the task to Sarah and her friends. So begins an intense and terrible examination of Newgate Prison and the corruption within the penal system and the police department before the murderer is revealed.

A second plot, carried over from the first two books. concerns Sarah’s search for her fugitive father who disappeared twenty years earlier after being accused of the rape and murder of a child

I had not read the previous books in the series, but I had no trouble with the considerable backstory. I was soon immersed in Sarah’s London, with its polluted air, gas-lit streets, and colorful inhabitants. This is a fast-paced mystery with strong characters. Everyone has secrets and flaws. Highly recommended. show less

Sarah Bain is a photographer who is hired by a newspaper to photograph crime scenes. Her friends, Lord Hugh Staunton, once a highly respected member of society, and Mick O’Reilly, a fourteen-old street urchin who wants to be a grown up now, join her in her latest assignment. The three of them are disliked by most of the people who meet them, Sarah because she’s a woman working in a man’s world, Hugh because he’s a disgraced and disowned homosexual, and Mick because he’s uncouth. This unlikely trio get caught up in another murder investigation for which Sarah took the photographs. In this book, they’ve been pitted against the police by the owner of the newspaper who pays them. He wants them to solve the murder of the retired show more hangman who was, himself, decapitated in a botched hanging. So who killed him and why?

This is a well-written mystery featuring three likable characters and a well-plotted mystery. Rowland takes her time setting up the investigation and her characters investigate the crime one clue at a time. An interesting byline is the fact that Sarah is seeing the detective who is investigating the crime and he’s not happy with either Sarah involving herself in his investigation or the contest they’re both involved in. Rowland also is able to invoke Victorian London using vivid descriptions so that you can almost smell the foul air yourself.

This is the third book in the Victorian mystery series. Not to worry though, this book reads like a stand-alone with the author giving just enough information about the characters so as not to bog down this book with information from the previous two books. show less

I love historical mystery series. The authors always do their research and bring the time period to life in a way that non fiction books never do. Sarah Bain is a photographer for the Daily World newspaper who often ends up playing detective with the assistance of her two friends, Lord Hugh Staunton and Mick O’Reilly.
The time period is well fleshed out as are the characters. There were twists and turns but the story flowed very well. I especially enjoyed the side plots with Sarah's upbringing, and her romance with PC Barrett. This was the third book in the series. It can be read out of order but I would recommend starting with book one.

The Hangman's Secret by Laura Joh Rowland is #3 in her Victorian mystery series but reads very well as a standalone. This novel follows photographer Sarah Bain and her two cohorts Sir Hugh and Mick who are tasked with photographing crime scenes for the London Daily Mail. The story starts with the hanging death of hangman Harry Warbrink. The trio are on the hunt for the perpetrator of this faked suicide. They are in a race with the police department to solve this crime. And then, as they say, the plot thickens. This novel is a joy to read and maintains the tension until the very end. There is a love story, lies, murders, mayhem, deception, all-in-all, a very entertaining read. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good old-fashioned show more suspenseful yarn. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books, the author and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. show less